Wouldn’t you know that now when immigration reform is within striking distance of a huge bipartisan victory, that a left-wing opposition revolt is brewing because the hotly contested Senate immigration bill, will:

—“Exclude (s) most undocumented from legalization;

—Continue (s) mass deportations;

—Create (s) de facto immigrant worker indentured servitude;

—Fund (s) billions in defense industry pork for more drones walls, and guards on the U.S.-Mexico border;

So writes Antonio Gonzalez in the national Hispanic Link. He is of the Willie C. Velasquez Institute in San Antonio which is a left-wing Chicano group that argues it knows and polls the “Chicano” community better than anyone or group.

It is a Mexican American group. That is important because immigration is more important to people with Mexican backgrounds than of Puerto Rican or Cuban backgrounds. Two thirds of the 53 million “Hispanics” in the country have Mexican backgrounds; it goes without saying that practically every Mexican-background family has had a relative walk across the border and stay illegally since 1924 when Congress made it illegal to come to America from Mexico without “permission.”

This is not the first time a left-wing Chicano has objected to immigration reform. Gonzalez reminds us of the first elected Mexican American politician from Los Angeles in the 20th Century, Ed Roybal, who went on to Congress from a Los Angeles City Council seat.

Congressman Ed Roybal was the Los Angeles politician who promoted immigration reform for years; then: “In 1982 after years of trying to legalize undocumented immigrants Roybal championed the Simpson-Mazzoli legalization bill. But when the bill was amended to include measures that violated labor and human rights, Roybal introduced dozens of amendments, effectively killing the bill he had earlier advocated.”Roybal supported the 1986 immigration reform bill signed by President Ronald Reagan that granted amnesty to almost 3-million people. It should be remembered that many illegally-present people did not avail themselves of the amnesty; to wit: an estimated 30% did not.

Gonzalez: “Today’s Democratic legislators appear set to support “Comprehensive Immigration Reform” no matter how punitive and/or ineffective its provisions are. Democrats want to claim victory with Latino voters who are spun daily by corporate media that hypes the bill in lockstep with the liberal establishment.

His points are discussed here:

“Exclude (s) most undocumented from legalization”

This assertion is based on nothing but guesswork. He says that 30% of the 1986 “undocumented” didn’t legalize but he neglects to mention that those that did came from 150 different countries not just Mexico or Latin America. Certainly some presently here will not qualify by background criminal checks here and in their native country. Certainly some will not qualify because they will not be able to pay fines and application fees. Certainly some will qualify but not make it through a probationary period. These are not good reasons to deny millions of people who do qualify, for legalization.

“Continue (s) mass deportations;”

People who have been deported once or more times and others who have committed felonies and been convicted deserve deportation as per judgments of immigration courts. This Gonzalez objection is worthless.

“Create (s) de facto immigrant worker indentured servitude;”

This argument is specious for the simple reason that a guest worker permit will allow ingress and egress across the border and not be limited to a single employer. The Agricultural permit being discussed will allow for a Permanent Resident card (Green Card) in just three years allowing the worker to work anywhere and in any job he/she can find and wants.

“Fund (s) billions in defense industry pork for more drones walls, and guards on the U.S.-Mexico border;”

So what, Gonzalez? That is a small price to pay for legalization of 11-million plus people here now illegally. Drones won’t be armed, fences won’t be electrified and moats won’t have alligators. More Border Patrol agents won’t make any difference. Work permits alone will drastically cut illegal border crossing so budgeted agents won’t be needed.

Gonzalez apparently hasn’t read the e-verify proposals. All employment applicants will be required to be e-verified. All applicants regardless of skin color, accent, color hair or passport will be e-verified. Turn downs can be appealed. There’s always law suits to keep everyone honest.

Hard to imagine that any legitimate Mexican-background organization would object to a plan that will legalize millions of illegally present Mexicans and allow future millions to come and work at their pleasure as needed and fill critical jobs that will otherwise be unfilled; hard to imagine such opposition.

The Prize is legalization and work permits for millions. Anyway to accomplish these goals is acceptable and welcomed by most. Numerous polls indicate massive support for legalization. Those that disagree are entitled to oppose, even as they take their eyes off the Prize again —- leaving millions in the shadows and crops rotting in the fields.